July 28, 2018

How long before self driving car gets hacked?

As we hear more and more about self driving vehicles it's tempting to get complacent and dream of the possibilities.

But it doesn't take a pessimist to imagine one negative aspect -- the possibility of remote hacking. We've already heard of vehicles being hijacked by laptop, i.e., locks and brakes disengaged without the owners' approval.

Making some computer device unhackable is probably impossible. The process can be slowed, but the risk can't be eliminated.

According to Reuters, a meeting was held in March in which Transportation Department officials met with interested individuals to compile information about self-driving vehicles in which law enforcement representatives wanted the ability to take over such a vehicle. That would be a lot safer than what they can do now to a moving vehicle.

But if law enforcement could take over an autonomous vehicle, it follows that hackers could eventually do it, too.